After winning UFC 136 rematch, Nam Phan not necessarily opposed to third fight

HOUSTON – Following a thrilling “Fight of the Night” victory over Leonard Garcia at Saturday’s UFC 136 event, Nam Phan said he’s open to a third match with the the slugger.

Read between the lines, though, and Phan clearly is ready to move on.

But thanks to Garcia’s crowd-pleasing style, he’s likely to stick around the UFC if a trilogy fight is considered, according to UFC president Dana White.

Phan (17-9 MMA, 1-2 UFC) and Garcia (15-8-1 MMA, 2-4 UFC) competed on the pay-per-view main card of UFC 136, which took place at Houston’s Toyota Center. Phan lost their first meeting 10 months ago with a heavily panned split decision, but he got his revenge in the rematch with a unanimous-decision victory.

Garcia now has lost three of his past four fights, and the lone victory was the contentious win over Phan in their first meeting. But don’t expect White and UFC matchmaker Joe Silva to release the hard-swinging 145-pounder.

“You know that’s what I put the most value on,” White told MMAjunie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “I value guys who come in and actually fight. Yes, you’ve got to win, and you have to have so many wins, but guys that come and bring it, we respect, and we like them. It’s pretty hard to leave.

“I don’t make those decisions (about who will be cut) right now. You guys love to ask me those questions at the press conference. But after that fight, seriously, I want everybody to raise their hands that wants me to kick out Leonard Garcia after tonight. Thank you. Next question.”

Garcia’s go-for-broke style has won over many judges, and admittedly, he’s probably won a few decisions that should have gone to his opponent. The Team Jackson-Winkeljohn fighter again has promised to become more disciplined in the cage, largely because he wants to win definitively.

“I want to quit having these robberies,” Garcia said. “I want to start finishing guys. I’m trying to get more technical. I just got caught early on. The only way I know how to answer that is fighting hard. I’d rather show you guys that than just give up.”

With crisp striking punctuated with frequent hooks to the body, Phan dominated the action until the third round, when Garcia’s wild strikes finally connected and staggered his opponent.

“In the third round, I caught my stride and started throwing combinations, started feeling good,” Garcia said. “Then I was able to catch him and just wasn’t able to finish. I’d trade ‘Fight of the Night’ for a win tonight, man. I really wanted to beat him. But you know what, it always sets up – who knows, there might be a No. 3.”

Phan, who admits he was nervous the judges would blow the call again, is happy to get back in the win column. “The Ultimate Fighter 12″ cast member and Strikeforce vet was stuck in a 1-4 skid, and a loss could have spelled the end of his UFC career.

Now, he’s just ready to move on, though he’s willing to heed the UFC’s instructions if they demand a third fight.

“I felt like I won the first fight,” Phan said. “I did my best to try to finish this fight, but Leonard, all praise to Leonard. He’s a really tough guy. He’s very difficult to finish. I would like to put this rivalry between me and Leonard behind us, but if the UFC wants to make a third fight, then I’m all for it.

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.